No Uri shadow yet on trade via Attari route

Sarbjit Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 27

There should be no stoppage of trade between India and Pakistan. This is the dominating opinion among businessmen engaged in trade with Pakistan via Wagah border. After Uri terror attack, there has been a demand from certain quarters to stop trade and snap all ties with Pakistan.

India exports a large number of goods, including cotton, dyes and chemicals, herbs, spices, processed food and fresh fruits to Pakistan, while the imports include cement, dry fruits such as dates and gypsum. The balance of trade is highly in favour of India. As of now, there has been no adverse affect on the trade between the two countries post-Uri attack.

Pradeep Sehgal, chairman, CII North zone and member of the Joint India-Pakistan Business Council, said the trade between the two nations should continue. “While it is easy to stop the trade, it will be very difficult to resume it. There have been problems at the Indo-China border in recent years, but the trade with China is continuing without an interruption,” said Sehgal.

Moreover, any impact on the trade via Wagah would hurt India more in fiscal terms, he said. India had launched a diplomatic offensive against Pakistan which as the right approach, he said.

Sehgal said the nearest sea port from Punjab is about 1,700 km away. “It is not possible to do trade by sea port from states like Punjab. Wagah is the only dry port in this region from where trade with Pakistan and Afghanistan is possible,” he said. Balbir Bajaj, chairman, Indo-Foreign Chamber of Commerce, said: “For me, nation comes first and trade is secondary. The decision whether the trade should continue or not is to be taken by the government.” Prof RS Ghuman, an expert in Indo-Pak trade, said the total trade between the two nations for 2015-16 was $2,544 million from both land and sea routes.